The photos here show my Ooe Yofukuten #2702s after wearing them every day for three months, washed once in cold water and hung to dry, and finally with the crotch hole repaired. I should mention that this crotch hole occurred as a rip, not from the jeans wearing through. It was initially a really small tear about half an inch long right at the inseam that was the result of a drunken wrestling match in a hotel lobby in Madison, Wisconsin. I proceeded to wear the jeans for another month, and the hole grew bigger and bigger. I don’t think this tear in the crotch is due to the craftsmanship of my jeans, rather I think it’s more a consequence of the lightweight denim I chose.
About the repair: I brought my jeans to my friend Mari Shimazaki, an alum of 45rpm who runs a small denim repair operation out of her Manhattan apartment. I asked her to give me a “traditional” repair, nothing fancy, just homemade and all business. I’m not a fan of the crazy elaborate “reweaving” or “invisible patch” processes that some of the high-end denim repair places practice. An authentically patched hole just looks cool, and it adds character to a pair of jeans.
The next day Mari sent me the following note: “So, your jeans….I patched them with soft indigo dyed cotton fabric since your denim is light weight. I left some white weft thread around the hole on purpose because I thought it looks more “Old Fashioned”…. Hope you like it.” Another day went by and a package arrived at my door. I opened it to find exactly what I’d hoped for: a simple, utilitarian repair job. If you want a quick, friendly, and really legit repair job I highly recommend Mari’s services: chainstitchnyc@gmail.com. She also has a vintage Union Special chain-stitch machine so she can give you beautiful hems.
I’m stoked to be wearing my Ooe’s again. So far they’ve stood up to everything I’ve thrown at them, except drunk hotel lobby wrestling.
Nice Job! You got yourself a one-of-a-kind there, Buddy! Thank the drunken stupor for that!
I’m gonna proceed to fling myself down a flight of project stairs in my 17oz Samurai’s now..
In total agreement on the patch job. if you have a rip and want/need to patch it think of it as an opportunity to have more distinctive and unique jeans, don’t try and hide it! Great job on the repair. Wear looks great so far.
Emil, if you ever need a crotch repair, send your jeans to us. Our denim repair ladies do an amazing job. Your jeans are looking great.
the pocket bags are amazing. i’ve never tried straight cuts before due to my height (short) and size (skinny) but theres something about these that make me want ooes.
hey, ryan. i’m pretty new to selvedge denim. I was just wondering how this denim repair service compares to denim therapy. i have a crotch rip similar to yours.